Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

Anchorage, Alaska – U.S. Attorney Bryan Schroder announced that Joseph Kuzmin, 42, of Voznesenka, Alaska, was sentenced yesterday by Chief U.S. District Judge Timothy M. Burgess, to serve six years in prison for being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. A jury previously found Kuzmin guilty of the charge in November 2017, after a three-day trial.

According to evidence presented at trial, on Dec. 28, 2016, in Voznesenka (near Homer), Kuzmin physically assaulted his teenage son, and then threatened to shoot the son, an aunt if she came to assist the son, and any law enforcement officers who responded. The son hid the firearms, then fled the house and called 911. On Dec. 29, 2016, Kuzmin was arrested by the Alaska State Troopers (AST) after he reportedly assaulted his son. The case was referred to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), who then searched Kuzmin’s home in January 2017 and found two rifles and ammunition.

Kuzmin had previously been convicted in Alaska State Court of three felonies, including assault in the third degree. As someone convicted of a felony, Kuzmin was prohibited from possessing firearms.

At the sentencing hearing, the court found that the most important goal of sentencing was to protect other people in the community from Kuzmin, who has a long criminal history, including offenses committed against family members, fisherman on his boat and other boats, and strangers.

ATF and AST conducted the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of this case. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonas Walker.

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